Olfactory (CN I)

1. Purely Sensory
2. Carry afferent impulses for the sense of smell
Optic (CN II)
1. Purely sensory
2. Carry afferent impulses for vision
Oculomotoer (CN III)
1. Chiefly motor with a few proprioceptor afferents
2. Innervates muscles that move the eye )inferior oblique and superior, inferior, and medial rectus
muscles)
3. Raise the eyelid
4. Parasympathetic:
To the sphincter papillae (circular muscles of iris), which cause pupil to constrict
Cilliary muscles, controlling lens shape for visual focusing
Trochlear (CN IV)
1. Chiefly motor
2. Innervates superior oblique muscle
Trigeminal (CN V)
1. Largest; mixed nerve; three branches
a. Ophthalmic division (CN VI)
Sensory fibers from the anterior scalp, upper eyelid, nose, lacrimal gland
b. Maxillary division (CN VII)
Sensory fibers from palate, upper teeth, skin of check, upper lip, lower eyelid
c. Mandibular division (CN VIII)
Sensory from anterior tongue 2/3 (except taste buds), lower teeth, skin of chin,
temporal region of scalp
Motor fibers to muscles of mastication (chewing)
Abducens (CN VI)
1. Chiefly motor
2. Innervates lateral rectus muscle (abducts the eye laterally)
Facial (CN VII)
1. Mixed nerve
2. Motor: Innervates muscles of the facial expression (except for chewing muscles)

3. Parasympathetic (autonomic) motor impulses to lacrimal (tear) glands, nasal and palatine
glands, and submandibular and sublingual salivary glands
4. Sensory impulses from taste buds of anterior 2/3 of tongue
Vestibulocochlear (CN VIII)
1. Purely sensory
2. Afferent impulses for equilibrium and sense of hearing
Glossopharyngeal (CN IX)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Mixed Nerve
Innervates part of the tongue and pharynx
Involved in swallowing and the gag reflex
Parasympathetic: motor fibers to parotid salivary glands
Sensory fibers conduct taste and general sensory (touch, pressure, pain) impulses from pharynx
and posterior tongue; chemoreceptors in the carotid body (monitor O2 and CO2 levels in the
blood and help regulate respiratory rate and depth); and baroreceptors of carotid sinus
(monitor BP)

Vagus (CN X)
1. Mixed Nerve
2. Parasympathetic: motor fibers to heart, lungs, abdominal viscera
3. Sensory impulses from carotid sinus (pressoreceptor/baroreceptor) and chemoreceptors of
carotid and aortic bodies
Spinal Accessory (CN XI)
1. Motor Nerve
2. Supply motor fibers to trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles (move head and neck)
3. Sensory from larynx, pharynx, and soft palate
Hypoglossal (CN XII)
1. Motor Nerve
2. Somatic motor fibers to intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of tongue
3. Allows for food mixing and manipulation by tongue during chewing and tongue movements that
contribute to swallowing and speech